True Grit has been out in a few different releases on DVD over the years, including a collectors edition a few years ago. Earlier in December of 2010 it was also released on bluray for the first time. Although not my favorite film, this release looks phenomenal and the video is sharp with little hints of digital trickery and still retaining that slight grain which yields a filmlike look. Sound is good for what it is worth too. Unfortunately sound usually suffers compared with the video, as is the case here. However that is more a testament to the power of the video quality than any deficiency in the audio, which remains for the most part centered up front.
Supplemental materials are, for the most part, directly ported over from earlier releases. I found the piece “Working with the Duke” especially intriguing, since Kim Darby shows no (or at least does not admit to) animosity with the Duke, even though he did despise her. And she still has the same doe-like eyes as she has in the film which, although most will likely find endearing, I found disconcerting and distracting. Overall the added materials are strong, though it would have been nice to see Wayne’s Oscar acceptance speech included.
Recommended, with my obvious caveats. Wayne in hi-def is always a good thing; unfortunately this film isn’t my particular cup of tea, even though it rates highly for most others. The disc itself looks great and the feature particularly is a joy to watch. It’s not up to the recent standard for bluray set by Warner Brothers, but it is definitely a strong entry into the realm of classic films (And yes, for the naysayers, 1969 is well outside the classic timeframe, but with Henry Hathaway and John Wayne I think you fudge a bit.) for the format.
No studio or retailer supplied review copy was provided for this article.